River Brue - The Full Wiki The Full Wiki More info on River Brue Wikis Note: Many of our articles have direct quotes from sources you can cite, within the Wikipedia article! This article doesn't yet, but we're working on it! See more info or our list of citable articles . Related top topics Top rankings for River Brue 132nd Top locations in the Somerset Levels Did you know ... 51°13′32″N 3°00′13″W﻿ / ﻿51.22556°N 3.00361°W﻿ / 51.22556; -3.00361 The River Brue originates in the parish of Brewham in Somerset , England , and reaches the sea some 50 km west at Burnham-on-Sea . It originally took a different route from Glastonbury to the sea, but this was changed by the monastery in the twelfth century. Contents 5 References Course The River Brue originates in the same hills as King Alfred's Tower and the sources of the River Wylye and the Dorset Stour .

[1] It falls quickly in a narrow valley to a point just beyond Bruton where it is joined by the River Pitt. Here is takes a meandering route through a broad, flat-bottomed valley between Castle Cary and Alhampton . By the time it reaches Baltonsborough it is only some 10m above sea level and the surrounding countryside is drained into it by way of numerous rhynes . It passes Glastonbury before flowing in a largely artificial channel across the Somerset Levels and into the Bristol Channel at Highbridge . It is joined by the North Drain, White's River (which takes the water of the River Sheppey , Cripps River (an artificial channel that connects it to the River Huntspill ) and many drainage rhynes. It is tidal below the sluices at New Clyce Bridge in Highbridge. [2] [3] The River Brue has a long history of flooding. Its lower reaches are close to sea-level, and the river above Bruton drains an area of 31 km2 into a steep and narrow valley. In 1768 the river rose very rapidly and destroyed a stone bridge in Bruton.

In 1984 a protective dam was built 1 km upstream from the town. [4] [5] Pomparles Bridge Tootal Bridge at Barton St David over the River Brue At the time of King Arthur the Brue formed a lake just south of the hilly ground on which Glastonbury stands. This lake is one of the locations suggested by Arthurian legend as the home of the Lady of the Lake . Pomparles Bridge stood at the western end of this lake, guarding Glastonbury from the south, and it is suggested that it was here that Sir Bedivere threw Excalibur into the waters after King Arthur fell at the Battle of Camlann . [6] John Leland noted in the 16th century that the bridge had four arches, while W.Phelps in an 1839 illustration as having only two arches, one pointed, probably C14-15, and the other round. Excavations in 1912 found the remains of a second round arch regarded as C12 work. The current concrete arch bridge was built in 1911 and extended in 1972.

[7] It carries the A39 road over the Brue. Alteration of route Prior to the 13th century the direct route to the sea at Highbridge was prevented by gravel banks and peat near Westhay. [8] The course of the river partially encircled Glastonbury from the south, around the western side (through Beckery ), [9] and then north through the Panborough- Bleadney gap in the Wedmore - Wookey Hills, to join the River Axe just north of Bleadney. This route made it difficult for the officials of Glastonbury Abbey to transport produce from their outlying estates to the Abbey, and when the valley of the river Axe was in flood it backed up to flood Glastonbury itself. Sometime between 1230 and 1250 a new channel was constructed westwards into Meare Pool north of Meare , and further westwards to Mark Moor. It then divided into two channels, one the Pilrow cut flowing north through Mark to join the Axe near Edingworth , and the other directly west to the sea at Highbridge .

[10] Drainage improvements Between 1774 and 1797 a series of enclosures took place in the Brue valley between the Poldens and Wedmore . [10] In 1794 the annual floods filled the whole of the Brue valley. Work by the Commissioners of Sewers led to the 1801 Brue Drainage Act which enabled sections at Highbridge and Cripp's Bridge to be straightened, and new feeder channels such as the North and South Drains to be constructed. [11] In 1803 the clyse at Highbridge, which had been built before 1485, was replaced and moved further downstream. [10] Canals Both Galton's Canal and Brown's Canal once connected to the river. [12] The Glastonbury Canal used the course of the River Brue from Highbridge to Cripp's Bridge, and part of the South Drain to Ashcott Corner. [11] Second World War During the Second World War the Brue was incorporated into GHQ Line and many pillboxes were constructed along the river.

[13] Economy Gants Mill at Pitcombe , near Bruton , is a watermill which is still used to mill cattle feed. A 12 kW hydroelectric turbine was recently installed at the site. There has been a mill here since the 13th century, but the current building was built in 1810. During monastic times, there were several fish weirs along the lower reaches of the river. They used either nets or baskets, the fishing rights belonging to the Bishop of Bath and Wells and the Abbot of Glastonbury . [14] Recreation Anglers will find pike in excess of 20 lb, with good stocks of chub , dace , roach , bream , tench , perch , rudd , and gudgeon . There are trout in the upper reaches. [15] There are several access points along the river suitable for canoeing , and the river has been paddled as far up as Bruton, but above West Lydford only after recent rain. [16] There are public footpaths alongside many stretches of the river.

[2] References Somerset Levels - The Full Wiki The Full Wiki Note: Many of our articles have direct quotes from sources you can cite, within the Wikipedia article! This article doesn't yet, but we're working on it! See more info or our list of citable articles . Related top topics The view towards Brent Knoll from Glastonbury Tor . The Somerset Levels (or the Somerset Levels and Moors as they are called less commonly but more correctly) is a sparsely populated coastal plain and wetland area of central Somerset , England , between the Quantock and Mendip hills. The Somerset Levels consist of marine clay "levels" along the coast, and the inland (often peat based) "moors". The area borders the Severn Estuary with its very high tidal range which used to cause marine flooding, but this is now largely controlled by various sea defences. The Levels are divided into two by the Polden Hills , with the catchment areas of the River Parrett to the south, and the rivers Axe and Brue to the north. This area is separate from the North Somerset Levels , which is located inland from Weston-super-Mare .

The total area of the Levels amounts to approximately 160,000 acres (650 km2). [1] It broadly corresponds to the administrative district of Sedgemoor but also includes the south east of Mendip district. Approximately 70% of the area is grassland and 30% is arable. [1] Discussions are taking place concerning the possibility of obtaining World Heritage Site status for the Somerset Levels and Moors as a "cultural landscape". [2] It has been suggested that if this bid were successful, it could improve flood control, but only if wetland fens were created again. [3] Contents Glastonbury Tor . The Levels and Moors are a largely flat area in which there are some slightly raised parts, called "burtles" [4] as well as higher ridges and hills. It is an agricultural region typically with open fields of permanent grass , surrounded by ditches with willow trees. Access to the Moors and Levels is by "droves" , i.e. green lanes.

The Levels are a coastal sand and clay barrier about 6 metres (20 ft) above mean sea level (roughly west of the M5 motorway ) whereas the inland Moors can be 6 metres (20 ft) below peak tides and have large areas of peat . The geology of the area is that of two basins mainly surrounded by hills, the runoff from which forms rivers that originally meandered across the plain but have now been controlled by embanking and clyses (the local name for a sluice). [1] The area is prone to winter floods of fresh water and occasional salt water inundations which have occurred, the worst of which in recorded history was the Bristol Channel floods of 1607 , which resulted in the drowning of an estimated 2,000 or more people, with houses and villages swept away, an estimated 200 square miles (518 km2 ) of farmland inundated and livestock destroyed. [5] A further severe flood occurred in 1872-1873 when over 107 square miles (277 km2) were under water from October to March.

[6] Although underlain by much older Triassic age [4] [7] formations that protrude to form what would once have been islands—such as Athelney , Brent Knoll , Burrow Mump and Glastonbury Tor —the lowland landscape was formed only during the last 10,000 years, following the end of the last ice age . Glastonbury Tor is composed of Upper Lias Sand. The Poldens and the Isle of Wedmore are composed of Blue Lias and Marl , while the Mendips are largely Carboniferous Limestone . [8] The peak of the peat formation took place in swamp conditions around 6,000 years ago, although in some areas it continued into medieval times. [9] Drainage The River Brue in an artificial channel draining farmland near Glastonbury . The moors and levels are formed from a submerged and reclaimed landscape. Early attempts to control the water levels were possibly made by the Romans (though records only date from the 13th century) but were not widespread.

[10] There was a port at Bleadney on the river Axe in the 8th century that enabled goods to be brought to within 3 miles (5 km) of Wells. In 1200 a wharf was constructed at Rackley near Axbridge . The Parrett was navigable up as far as Langport in 1600, with 15-20 ton barges. The Domesday Book recorded that drainage of the higher grounds was under way, though the moors at Wedmoor were said to be useless. [1] In the Middle Ages the monasteries of Glastonbury , Athelney and Muchelney were responsible for much of the drainage. In 1129 the Abbot of Glastonbury was recorded as inspecting enclosed land at Lympsham . Efforts to control flooding on the Parrett were recorded around the same date. In 1234, 722 acres (2.9 km2) were reclaimed near Westonzoyland .

[11] Curry Moor pumping station Flowing through the Moors and Levels to provide the main drainage outlets are the rivers Axe , Brue , Huntspill , Parrett , Tone and Yeo , together with the King's Sedgemoor Drain , an artificial channel into which the River Cary now runs. Previously it ran into the Tone while the Brue previously ran through Meare Pool (now drained) and the Panborough Gap, and then into the Axe. Another accomplishment in the Middle Ages was the construction of the Pillrow Cut joining the Brue and Axe, which was tidal. In 1500 there was said to be 70,000 acres (283 km2) of floodable land of which only 20,000 acres (81 km2) had been reclaimed. In the time of King James plans were made to drain and enclose much of Sedgemoor , which the lords supported but the commoners opposed and nothing came of this plan.

In 1632 Charles I sold the crown's interest in the scheme, and it was taken over by a consortium including Sir Cornelius Vermuyden , a Dutch drainage engineer, but the start of the work was delayed by the English Civil War , and later defeated in parliament due to local opposition. [6] In 1638 it was reported that nearly 2,600 acres (11 km2) of Tealham and Tadham Moors were not reclaimed, with a total of 30,500 acres (123.43 km2) being undrained. Between 1785 and 1791 much of the lowest part of the peat moors was enclosed.

In 1795 John Billingsley advocated enclosure and the digging of rhynes (a local name for drainage channels, pronounced "reens") between plots, [6] and wrote in his Agriculture of the County of Somerset that 4,400 acres (18 km2) had been enclosed in the last 20 years in Wedmore and Meare , 350 acres (1.4 km2) at Nyland, 900 acres (3.64 km2) at Blackford, 2,000 acres (8 km2) at Mark , 100 acres (0.4 km2) in Shapwick and 1,700 acres (7 km2) at Westhay . [11] At Westhay Moor in the early 1800s it was shown how peat bogs could be successfully drained and top-dressed with silt from flooding, creating a very rich soil. [12] Little attempt was made during the 17th and 18th centuries to pump water, possibly because the coal driven Newcomen steam engines would have been uneconomic.

It is not fully understood why windmills were not employed as they were on the Fens of East Anglia , and only two examples have been recorded on the levels. One was at Bleadon at the mouth of the River Axe, where a sea wall had been built, and the other at Common Moor north of Glastonbury, which was being drained following a private Act of Parliament in 1721. [6] The first steam pumping station was Westonzoyland Pumping Station in 1830 and more effective ones from 1860. Today automatic electric pumps are used. The flooded Southlake Moor The Huntspill river is artificial, constructed in the Second World War as a reservoir, though acting also as a drainage channel. [11] The Sowy River between the River Parrett and King's Sedgemoor Drain was completed in 1972. [13] [14] The levels and moors are now artificially drained by a network of rhynes which are pumped up into "drains".

Water levels are carefully managed by the Levels Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) and the levels are not as intensively drained or farmed as the East Anglian fens (historically a similar area of low marsh). They are still liable to widespread fresh water flooding in winter. One of the approaches to reducing the risk of flooding within the catchment area of the Parrett is the planting of new woodlands. [15] Controversy about the management of the drainage and flood protection has previously involved the activities of Internal Drainage Boards . [16] [17] However, IDBs have been actively participating with the Parrett Catchment Partnership, a partnership of 30 organisations which aims to create a new consensus on how water is to be managed, in particular looking at new ways to achieve sustainable benefits for all local stakeholders. [18] Sea defences Greylake sluice on King's Sedgemoor Drain Much of the area is at, or only slightly above, sea level so that it was frequently flooded by the sea, a problem that was not fully resolved until the sea defences were enhanced in the early 20th century.

The Parrett is the only river that does not have a clyse on it. There was a great storm in 1703 when waves came four feet (1.2 m) over the sea walls. The sea wall was again breached in 1799 and this filled the Axe valley with sea water. In 1872 another great flood covered 7,000 acres (28 km2) and in 1919 70,000 acres (283 km2) were again inundated with sea water, which poisoned the land for up to 7 years. [1] Since 1990 the drainage board has been charged with looking at the rhynes , cleaning them out and keeping them clear, with the Environment Agency overseeing the work. With rising sea levels the work required to maintain the current sea defences is likely to become more expensive and it has been proposed that two inland seas are created. [19] Other studies have recommended maintaining the current defences for five years while undertaking further studies of available options. [20] Human habitation Route of the Sweet Track .

In prehistory it is thought that, due to winter flooding, humans restricted their use of the levels to the summer, a practice that gave rise to name of the county of Somerset (derived from Sumorsaete, meaning land of the summer people). A Palaeolithic flint tool found in West Sedgemoor is the earliest indication of human presence in the area. [21] During the 7th millennium BC the sea level rose and flooded the valleys so the Mesolithic people occupied seasonal camps on the higher ground, indicated by scatters of flints. [21] The Neolithic people continued to exploit the reedswamps for their natural resources and started to construct wooden track ways. These included the Sweet Track , currently the world's oldest known engineered roadway dating from the 3800s BC , and named after the peat digger who first spotted it in 1970. [1] The Levels were also the location of the Glastonbury Lake Village as well as two at Meare .

[22] Discovered in 1892 by Arthur Bulleid, [23] the former remains the best-preserved prehistoric village in the United Kingdom, and was at one time inhabited by around 200 people living in 14 roundhouses . [24] The area continued to be used in the Bronze Age , with the population supporting themselves largely by hunting and fishing in the surrounding marsh, living on artificial islands connected by wooden causeways on wooden piles. There have been many finds of metalwork during peat cutting, which may have been devotional offerings. In the Iron Age the first permanent settlement of the higher ground occurred. A salt making industry was set up near Highbridge. [21] In the Roman period the extraction of sea salt continued and a string of settlements was set up along the Polden Hills. Some possible settlement sites are also known in the Draycott and Cheddar Moors and around Highbridge .

[21] The discovery at Shapwick of 9,238 silver denarii , [25] [26] the second largest hoard ever found from the Roman Empire , may have been linked to this industry, or to the associated local minting and counterfeiting operation. A number of Saxon charters document the incorporation of areas of moor in estates, suggested that the area continued to be exploited. [21] Several towns, villages and hill forts were also built on the natural "islands" of slightly raised land, including Brent Knoll , Glastonbury , and the low range of the Polden Hills . It's easy to see why the area acquired a number of legends, particularly of King Arthur and his followers, who some believe based his court at the hill fort at South Cadbury . Alfred the Great famously burnt cakes when hiding in the marshes of Athelney , after the Danish invasion in 875. After the battle of Edington the Danish king was baptised at Aller and a peace treaty signed at Wedmore .

[27] In 1685 the Battle of Sedgemoor was fought in the Bussex area of Westonzoyland at the conclusion of the Monmouth Rebellion . [28] Land use The area has few trees and is dominated by grassland , mostly used as pasture for dairy farming. The River Parrett provides a source of eels (Anguilla anguilla) and elvers during January through to May. [29] Other local industries that once thrived on the Levels, such as thatching and basket making, are now in serious decline. Combined with the recent drop in farm incomes, this poses a potential threat to the 'traditional' nature of the area as a whole. Subsidies are paid to farmers who manage their land in the traditional way. [1] Willow Willow Man . Willow has been cut and used on the Levels since humans moved into the area. Fragments of willow basket were found near the Glastonbury Lake Village, and it was also used in the construction of several Iron Age causeways. [30] The willow was harvested using a traditional method of coppicing , where a tree would be cut back to the main stem.

New shoots of willow, called "withies", would grow out of the trunk and these would be cut periodically for use. During the 1930s over 9,000 acres (36 km2) of willow were being grown commercially on the Levels. Largely due to the displacement of baskets with plastic bags and cardboard boxes, the industry has severely declined since the 1950s. By the end of the 20th century only around 350 acres (1.4 km2) were grown commercially, near the villages of Burrowbridge , Westonzoyland and North Curry . [1] The Somerset Levels is now the only area in the UK where basket willow is grown commercially. For weaving the species Salix triandra (Almond Willow, Black Maul) is grown, while Salix viminalis (Common Osier) is ideal for handles, bases, and the structural members in furniture and hurdles. Products including baskets, eel traps, lobster pots and furniture were widely made from willow throughout the area in the recent past.

Among the more unusual products still made are passenger baskets for hot air balloons , the frames inside the bearskin hats worn by the regiments of the Household Cavalry, and an increasing number of willow coffins. The industry is celebrated in the form of the Willow Man (sometimes known as the Angel of the South), a 40 ft (12.2 m) tall willow sculpture by artist Serena de la Hey that can be seen from the railway and the M5 motorway to the north of Bridgwater . [31] At Stoke St Gregory there is also a Willows and Wetlands visitor centre . Teazel growing An unusual crop is the growing of teazels around the River Isle near Chard on the heavy clay soils around Fivehead . These are used to provide a fine finish on worsteds and snooker table cloths. [1] Peat extraction The extraction of peat from the Moors is known to have taken place during Roman times, and has been an ongoing practice since the levels were first drained. The introduction of plastic packaging in the 1950s allowed the peat to be packed without rotting.

This led to the industrialisation of peat extraction during the 1960s as a major market in horticultural peat was developed. The reduction in water levels that resulted put local ecosystems at risk, with peat wastage in pasture fields was occurring at rates of 1–3 ft (0.3–0.8 m) over 100 years. [32] Although the practice is now much reduced, at least one large firm still operates on the levels and peat lorries remain a common feature of the back roads. Biodiversity and conservation Shapwick Heath . As a result of the wetland nature of the Moors and Levels, the area contains a rich biodiversity of national and international importance. [7] It supports a vast variety of plant species, including common plants such as marsh marigold , meadowsweet and ragged robin . The area is an important feeding ground for birds including Bewick’s swan , Eurasian curlew , Common redshank , skylark , Common snipe , Common teal , wigeon and whimbrel , as well as birds of prey including the marsh harrier and peregrine falcon .

[33] A wide range of insect species is also present including rare invertebrates , particularly beetles including the lesser silver water beetle , Bagous nodulosus, Hydrophilus piceus, Odontomyia angulata, Oulema erichsoni and Valvata macrostoma . In addition, the area supports an important otter population. [33] 282 mink (Mustela vison) have been captured, and this is encouraging Water Voles (Arvicola amphibius) to recolonise areas of the Levels where they have been absent for ten years. The Levels and Moors include 32 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (twelve of them also Special Protection Areas ), the Huntspill River [34] and Bridgwater Bay National Nature Reserves , [35] the Somerset Levels and Moors Ramsar Site covering about 86,000 acres (348 km2), [33] the Somerset Levels National Nature Reserve, [36] Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve , [37] and numerous Scheduled Ancient Monuments .

In addition, some 72,000 acres (291 km2) of the Levels are recognised as an Environmentally Sensitive Area , [38] while other portions are designated as Areas of High Archaeological Potential . Despite this, there is currently no single conservation designation covering the entire area of the Levels and Moors. A survey in 2005 discovered that 11 of the known wooden Bronze Age causeways on the Levels had been destroyed or vanished, while others were seriously damaged. The reduction in water levels and subsequent exposure of the timber to oxygen and Aerobic bacteria is the cause of the destruction. [39] Somerset Levels Project This research project was started in 1964 by John Coles. It published an important series of papers on many aspects of the Levels. Possibly its most important excavations were that of the Sweet Track, for 15 years starting in 1970, [40] and of a Jadeite axe in 1973. [41] Eight radiocarbon determinations of the date of the axe place it at around around 3200 BC.

[42] Shapwick Project This project was begun by Mick Aston of Bristol University to investigate the evolution of a typical English village. A preliminary study of the village history was carried out using maps and documents, then surveys of the buildings were made together with botanical surveys. Field walking was carried out with excavation of key sites. A report on the project was published in eight volumes. [43] An overview of the project is included in Mick's Archaeology . Tourism Westonzoyland Pumping Station Museum . Being largely flat, the Levels are well suited to bicycles , and a number of cycle routes exist including the Withy Way Cycle Route (22 miles, 35 km), Avalon Marshes Cycle Route (28 miles, 45 km), Peat Moors Cycle Route (24 miles, 39 km) and the Isle Valley Cycle Route (28 miles, 45 km). The River Parrett Trail (47 miles, 75 km) and Monarch's Way long-distance footpaths are also within the area. There are currently four visitors' centres that aim to convey various aspects of the Levels.

The Willows and Wetlands visitor centre near Stoke St Gregory offers tours of the willow yards and basket workshops and explains the place of willow in the history of the Levels. The Somerset Willow Company also open the doors of their workshops to visitors. The Peat Moors Centre to the west of Glastonbury is dedicated to the archaeology , history and geology of the area. It also includes reconstructions of some of the archaeological discoveries, including a number of Iron Age round houses and the world's oldest engineered highway, the Sweet Track . From time to time the centre offers courses in a number of ancient technologies in subjects including textiles, clothing and basket making, as well as staging various open days, displays and demonstrations. Natural England and the RSPB are seeking (2009) to fund a new interpretation centre on a neighbouring site. The owners of the Peat Moors Centre, however, Somerset County Council, have announced their intention of closing the Centre permanently from 31 October 2009; the subsequent future of the collection is uncertain, but efforts are being made to set up a charitable trust to maintain it and the Centre's activities.

In Glastonbury itself is The Tribunal , a medieval merchant's house containing possessions and works of art from the Glastonbury Lake Village which were preserved in almost perfect condition in the peat after the village was abandoned. Also in Glastonbury the Somerset Rural Life Museum contains information about crafts and folk traditions on the Levels, including willow growing. The Langport & River Parrett Visitor Centre located at Langport details local life, history and wildlife. In addition, Westonzoyland Pumping Station Museum , located near the town on the River Parrett, is housed in one of the earliest steam-powered pumping stations on the Levels, dating from the 1830s. The station was closed in the 1950s. Featuring several steam engines, some built locally, the museum holds a number of live steam days each year. The tourist authorities in the area are (2009) seeking to establish the fanciful term "Avalon Marshes" as the new name of the Somerset Moors. See also River Brue - Wikipedia, Photos and Videos River Brue NEXT GO TO RESULTS [51 ..

100] WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE River Brue and Glastonbury Tor Country Highbridge, Somerset, Somerset , England - coordinates 51°13′32″N 3°00′13″W﻿ / ﻿51.22556°N 3.00361°W﻿ / 51.22556; -3.00361 Coordinates : 51°13′32″N 3°00′13″W﻿ / ﻿51.22556°N 3.00361°W﻿ / 51.22556; -3.00361 The River Brue originates in the parish of Brewham in Somerset , England, and reaches the sea some 50 kilometres (31 mi) west at Burnham-on-Sea . It originally took a different route from Glastonbury to the sea, but this was changed by Glastonbury Abbey in the twelfth century.

The river provides an important drainage route for water from a low-lying area which is prone to flooding which man has tried to manage through rhynes , canals, artificial rivers and sluices for centuries. The Brue Valley Living Landscape is an ecological conservation project based on the Somerset Levels and Moors and managed by the Somerset Wildlife Trust . The valley includes several Sites of Special Scientific Interest including Westhay Moor , Shapwick Heath and Shapwick Moor . Much of the area has been at the centre of peat extraction on the Somerset Levels . The Brue Valley Living Landscape project commenced in January 2009 to restore and reconnect habitat that will support wildlife. The aim is to be able to sustain itself in the face of climate change while guaranteeing farmers and other landowners can continue to use their land profitably. It is one of an increasing number of landscape scale conservation projects in the UK. Contents Course[ edit ] The River Brue originates in hills to the southwest of the catchment area, close to the border with Dorset . The same hills are the locale of the sources of the River Wylye and the Dorset Stour which flow south to the English Channel .

[1] It descends quickly in a narrow valley to a point just beyond Bruton where it is joined by the River Pitt . Here it takes a meandering route through a broad, flat-bottomed valley between Castle Cary and Alhampton . By the time it reaches Baltonsborough it is only some 10 metres (33 ft) above sea level and the surrounding countryside is drained into it by way of numerous rhynes . It passes Glastonbury , where it acts as a natural boundary with nearby village of Street , before flowing in a largely artificial channel across the Somerset Levels and into the River Parrett at Burnham-on-Sea . It is joined by the North Drain , White's River (which takes the water of the River Sheppey , Cripps River (an artificial channel that connects it to the River Huntspill ) and many drainage rhynes). It is connect to the River Axe through several of these channels which are controlled by sluices . [2] It is tidal below the sluices at New Clyce Bridge in Highbridge . [3] Bow Bridge Bow Bridge is a 15th-century Packhorse bridge over the River Brue in Plox, Bruton.

It is a Grade I listed building , [4] and scheduled monument . [5] The bridge may have been built as a link between the former Bruton Abbey , and its Court House in the High Street. [4] The bridge was restored after floods in 1982. [6] The River Brue has a long history of flooding. Its lower reaches are close to sea-level, and the river above Bruton drains an area of 31 square kilometres (12 sq mi) into a steep and narrow valley. In 1984 a protective dam was built 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) upstream from the town. [7] The valley includes several Sites of Special Scientific Interest including Westhay Moor , [8] Shapwick Heath [9] and Shapwick Moor . Much of the area has been at the centre of peat extraction on the Somerset Levels . Large areas of peat were laid down on the Somerset Levels, particularly in the River Brue Valley, during the Quaternary period after the ice sheets melted. [10] The extraction of peat from the Moors is known to have taken place during Roman times, and has been carried out since the Levels were first drained.

Peat extraction on the Somerset Moors continues today, although much reduced. [10] [11] History[ edit ] Tootal Bridge at Barton St David over the River Brue The area is known to have been occupied since the Neolithic when people exploited the reedswamps for their natural resources and started to construct wooden trackways such as the Sweet and Post Tracks . The Sweet Track, named after the peat digger who discovered it in 1970 and dating from the 3800s BC, is the world's oldest timber trackway , once thought to be the world's oldest engineered roadway. [12] The track was built between what was in the early 4th millennium BC an island at Westhay and a ridge of high ground at Shapwick , close to the River Brue. The remains of similar tracks have been uncovered nearby, connecting settlements on the peat bog including the Honeygore, Abbotts Way, Bells, Bakers, Westhay and Nidons trackways. [13] The Levels contain the best-preserved prehistoric village in the UK, [14] Glastonbury Lake Village , as well as two others at Meare Lake Village .

[15] Discovered in 1892 by Arthur Bulleid , [16] it was inhabited by about 200 people living in 14 roundhouses , [14] and was built on a morass on an artificial foundation of timber filled with brushwood, bracken , rubble and clay. [17] The valley was used during Romano-British period when it was the site of salt extraction. [18] At the time of King Arthur the Brue formed a lake just south of the hilly ground on which Glastonbury stands. According to legend this lake is one of the locations suggested by Arthurian legend as the home of the Lady of the Lake . Pomparles Bridge stood at the western end of this lake, guarding Glastonbury from the south, and it is suggested that it was here that Sir Bedivere threw Excalibur into the waters after King Arthur fell at the Battle of Camlann . [19] John Leland noted in the 16th century that the bridge had four arches, while W.

Phelps in an 1839 illustration as having only two arches, one pointed, probably from the 14th or 15th century, and the other round. Excavations in 1912 found the remains of a second round arch regarded as 12th century work. The current concrete arch bridge was built in 1911 and extended in 1972. [20] It carries the A39 road over the Brue. [21] [22] Alteration of route[ edit ] Before the 13th century the direct route to the sea at Highbridge was blocked by gravel banks and peat near Westhay. [23] The course of the river partially encircled Glastonbury from the south, around the western side (through Beckery ), and then north through the Panborough - Bleadney gap in the Wedmore - Wookey Hills, to join the River Axe just north of Bleadney.

[24] This route made it difficult for the officials of Glastonbury Abbey to transport produce from their outlying estates to the Abbey, and when the valley of the river Axe was in flood it backed up to flood Glastonbury itself. Sometime between 1230 and 1250 a new channel was constructed westwards into Meare Pool north of Meare , and further westwards to Mark Moor . [25] It then divided into two channels, one the Pilrow cut flowing north through Mark to join the Axe near Edingworth , and the other directly west to the sea at Highbridge. [26] During monastic times, there were several fish weirs along the lower reaches of the river. They used either nets or baskets, the fishing rights belonging to the Bishop of Bath and Wells and the Abbot of Glastonbury. [27] Drainage improvements[ edit ] Flooded fields near Glastonbury in 2008 Between 1774 and 1797 a series of enclosures took place in the Brue valley between the Poldens and Wedmore.

[28] In 1794 the annual floods filled the whole of the Brue valley. Work by the Commissioners of Sewers led to the 1801 Brue Drainage Act which enabled sections at Highbridge and Cripp's Bridge to be straightened, and new feeder channels such as the North and South Drains to be constructed. [29] In 1803 the clyse at Highbridge, which had been built before 1485, was replaced and moved further downstream. [30] The area around Bruton has suffered over the centuries. The earliest recorded damage was in 1768 when a stone bridge was destroyed after the river rose very rapidly. [7] On 28 June 1917, 242.8 millimetres (9.56 in) of rain fell in 24 hours at Bruton, [31] leaving a water mark on one pub 20 feet (6.1 m) above the normal level of the river.

[32] In 1982 extensive flooding occurred in the town, and as a result in 1984 a protective dam was built 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) upstream from the town. [33] 19th, 20th and 21st centuries[ edit ] The mouth of the river The mouth of the River Brue had an extensive harbour in Roman and Saxon times, before silting up in the medieval period. It was used again as a small harbour in the 17th and 18th centuries, and in 1833 the port of Highbridge was formally opened on the river. A new wharf, known as Clyce Wharf, was built on the Huntspill side of the river mouth by 1904, and was used for the import of coal and the export of bricks and tiles and agricultural products. The port closed in 1949. [34] Both Galton's Canal and Brown's Canal , which were built in the early 19th century, were connected to the river.

[35] [36] The Glastonbury Canal used the course of the River Brue from Highbridge to Cripp's Bridge, and part of the South Drain to Ashcott Corner. [29] The Glastonbury Canal ran for just over 14 miles (23 km) through two locks from Glastonbury to Highbridge , where it entered the River Parrett and from there the Bristol Channel . The canal was authorised by Parliament in 1827 and opened in 1834. [37] It was operated by The Glastonbury Navigation & Canal Company. [38] Most of it was abandoned as a navigation in 1854, when a railway was built along the towpath. During the Second World War the Brue was incorporated into GHQ Line and many pillboxes were constructed along the river. [39] Gants Mill at Pitcombe , near Bruton, is a watermill which is still used to mill cattle feed. A 12 kilowatts (16 hp) hydroelectric turbine was recently installed at the site.

There has been a mill here since the 13th century, but the current building was built in 1810. [40] Following summer floods of 1997 and the prolonged flooding of 1999–2000 the Parrett Catchment Project was formed, partly funded by the European Union Regional Development Fund , by 30 organisations, including British Waterways , Campaign to Protect Rural England , Countryside Agency , Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs , Environment Agency, Kings Sedgemoor and Cary Vale Internal Drainage Board (now part of Parrett Internal Drainage Board), Levels and Moors Partnership, National Farmers Union , Sedgemoor, Somerset County Council , South Somerset District Council , Taunton Deane and Wessex Water. [41] They aim to tackle twelve areas, which, when combined, will make a significant contribution to reducing the adverse effects of flooding. These include the conversion of arable land, adoption of the Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) approach to controlling rainwater runoff from developed areas, dredging, raising riverbanks and improving pumping facilities. [42] Further studies of the possible beneficial effects of woodland in reducing flooding have also been undertaken.

[43] During the winter flooding of 2013–14 on the Somerset Levels the River Brue overflowed at new year, during the rain and storms from Storm Dirk , with many residents asking for the Environment Agency to resume river dredging. [44] [45] On 24 January 2014, in light of the continued flooded extent of the Somerset Moors and forecast new rainfall as part of the winter storms of 2013–14 in the United Kingdom , both Somerset County Council and Sedgemoor District Council declared a major incident , as defined under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 . [46] [47] At this time, with 17,000 acres (6,900 ha) of agricultural land having been under water for over a month, [47] the village of Thorney was abandoned and Muchelney was cut off by flood waters for almost a month. [46] Northmoor Green , which is more commonly known as Moorland, was also severely affected.

By the end of January, 17,000 acres (6,900 ha) of agricultural land, including North Moor , Curry and Hay Moors and Greylake , had been under water for over a month. [47] Bridgwater was partly flooded on 10 February 2014, [48] when with 20,000 sandbags ready to be deployed. [49] Over 600 houses were flooded, [44] and both flooding and groundwater disrupted services including trains on the Bristol to Exeter Line between Bridgwater and Taunton. [44] Further preventative work under the title of the "Brue Catchment River Maintenance Pilot Project" has led to controversy about the need for dredging and maintenance of the river.

[50] [51] Hydrology and water quality[ edit ] At Bruton Dam, the nearest measuring station to the source of the river, the normal level of the river is between 0.6 metres (2 ft 0 in) and 2.08 metres (6 ft 10 in) with the highest level ever recorded being 10.7 metres (35 ft) in 2007. [52] Within the town of Bruton at Bruton Surgery the normal level is between 0.17 metres (6.7 in) and 0.69 metres (2 ft 3 in). [53] Further downstream at Lovington the normal level is between 0.08 metres (3.1 in) and 0.56 metres (1 ft 10 in). [54] The furthest downstream monitoring station at Clyse Hole near Street records a normal range of 0.15 metres (5.9 in) and 0.49 metres (1 ft 7 in). [55] For the purposes of monitoring of water quality the Brue and Axe are considered together.

In 2013 19 water bodies within the area were considered to have moderate water quality with two being poor and four good quality. Agriculture and rural land management is the largest factor affecting water quality followed by the water industry. Transport, industry and manufacturing also have an effect. [56] The River Brue crossing Westhay Moor The Brue Valley Living Landscape is a UK conservation project managed by the Somerset Wildlife Trust . The project commenced in January 2009 and aims to restore habitat . It aims to help wildlife sustain itself in the face of climate change [57] while guaranteeing farmers and other landowners can continue to use their land profitably. It is one of an increasing number of landscape scale conservation projects in the UK. [58] [59] The project covers an area of approximately 12,500 hectares (31,000 acres) encompassing the floodplain of the River Brue from a little east of Glastonbury to beyond the Catcott, Edington and Chilton Moors SSSI in the west. Almost a quarter of the project area is designated as Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Protection Area (SPA) and Ramsar site .

The project area accounts for almost half of the Somerset Levels and Moors Special Protection Area . The area includes land already managed for conservation by organisations including Somerset Wildlife Trust , Natural England , the Hawk and Owl Trust and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds . These include Shapwick Heath national nature reserve , Westhay Moor , Catcott Lows National Nature Reserve, Ham Wall and Shapwick Moor . There are 25 scheduled monuments and 746 Historic Environment Records in the project area including internationally important sites such at the Glastonbury Lake Village and Sweet Track . Research on the Somerset Levels and Moors has been crucial to the understanding of the natural and human history of wetlands. [60] The project is based solely on the peat-based soils of the Somerset Moors. It does not extend on to the marine clay soils of the more westerly Levels. [61] The headwaters of the river The project has set out their major objectives. These include mapping and research on the Brue Valley, engagement with local government, farmers, the conservation sector and other interest community members, to produce a shared local vision.

[62] It is hoped to create larger and better connected patches of important habitats, in a way which also benefits the local economy and rural society. [63] The project has received funding from the European Regional Development Fund (via the WAVE project), [64] Natural England's Wetland Vision and the Viridor Credits scheme. Recreation[ edit ] Anglers will find pike in excess of 20 pounds (9.1 kg), with good stocks of chub , dace , roach , bream , tench , perch , rudd , and gudgeon . There are trout in the upper reaches. [71] There are several access points along the river suitable for canoeing , and the river has been paddled as far up as Bruton, but above West Lydford only after recent rain. [72] There are public footpaths alongside many stretches of the river. [73] Rail Access[ edit ] Highbridge and Burnham railway station provides access.

There is further 2 miles (3.2 km) [74] walk or cycle westwards mainly alongside the River Brue, following the approximate flat path way of the former S&DJR extension route, takes the traveller into Burnham-on-Sea . References[ edit ] ^ Lewis, Samuel (the younger) (1855). The Book of English Rivers . London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans. pp. 50–51. Rivers of Somerset : Top topics (The Full Wiki) Rivers of Somerset: Trending topics Advertisements The following are the current most viewed articles on Wikipedia within Wikipedia's Rivers of Somerset category. Think of it as a What's Hot list for Rivers of Somerset. More info » This is a beta release and so the figures may be a day or two out of date. We'd love to get your thoughts . Rank

Question: The rivers Axe, Brue, Cary, Parrett, eta, are in which English county?
Answer: Somerset